Self-propelled crusher unit

ABSTRACT

A self-propelled crusher unit has a chassis supported by four axles. Two of the axles have axes disposed in a common vertical plane and are fixed in respect of the longitudinal axis of the unit and the two other axles are orientable about vertical axes in respect of the longitudinal axis. Abutments are arranged on the chassis for limiting the rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles.

United States Patent Vaillant et a l.

[ SELF-PROPELLED CRUSHER UNIT [75] Inventors: Christian Vaillant, Douchy Les Mines; Jean Pierre Menissez, Wavrechain Sous Denain, both of France [51'] Int. Cl. B02c 21/02, B62d 7/08 [58] Field of Search 280/93, 106 R; 24l/l0l.7, 241/101 M References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Gunnison 241/101 M X Ludowici 280/93 X l2/l926 7/l956 Nov. 19, 1974 3,226,043 12/1965 "Baa/man ..241/101 M 3,704,040 11/1972 Davis et al. 280/106 R x Primary Examiner-1 16 Lake 7 Assistant Examiner-E. F. Desmond Attorney, Agent, or Firml(urt Kelman 57] ABSTRACT A self-propelled crusher unit has a chassis supported by four axles. Two of the axles have axes disposed in a common vertical plane and are fixed in respect of the longitudinal axis of the unit and the two other axles are orientable about vertical axes in respect of the longitudinal axis. Abutments are arranged on the chassis for limiting the rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles.

6 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures SELF-PROPELLED CRUSI-IER UNIT The present invention relates to improvements in self-propelled crusher units which comprise a rigid chassis supported on wheels with pneumatic tires, a crusher carried by the chassis, a feed assembly for delivering material to the crusher and a recovery conveyor for removing the crushed material from the crusher. The feed assembly and recovery conveyor define a longitudinal axis of the unit, and a further conveyor, which may be raised and oriented, may also be carried by the chassis to receive the crushed material from the recovery conveyor.

Such self-propelled crusher units are used in large quarries where they are displaced periodically from site to site to be brought to the place where they are needed. Their commercial usefulness increases with their productive capacity and, therefore, it has been attempted to make these units bigger and bigger so that their output may reach 500 tons/hour or more. Such units are, of course, very heavy.

The drives used to support and move self-propelled crusher units are generally of the same type as those used for trucks or other motor vehicles. However, they have been found of limited use in very heavy units.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide such crusher units with support axles permitting the turning of the units practically in place, which facilitates their displacement.

It is another object of the invention to provide a particularly, simple system for orienting selected support axles of the unit for such displacement, the entire unit being conceived to reduce costs to a minimum.

The above and other objects are accomplished in accordance with the present invention by supporting the chassis of the crusher unit on four axles two of which 'have axes disposed in a common vertical plane and being fixed in respect of the longitudinal axis of the unit, and two of which are orientable about vertical axes in respect of the longitudinal axis. Abutments are arranged on the chassis for limiting the rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles. Means is provided for moving the orientable axles between the first and second positions and for maintaining the orientable axles in a selected one of these positions.

The crusher unit may thus move back and forth in a direction perpendicular to the fixed axles and turn in a small circle, which permits displacement of the unit between any two points by combining the two movements. Considering that the unit has no systems for maintaining the axes of the fixed and orientable axles in alignment, the unit must be stopped when it is desired to change the orientation of the orientable axles. This does not matter, however, because the displacement of such heavy units is exceedingly slow and the time needed for the orientation of the axles, during which the unit stands still, is short in relation to the total time required for the displacement.

The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of a now preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein FIG. 1 is a plan view of the crusher unit;

FIG. 2 is a section along line II;

FIG. 3 is a section along line III;

FIG. 4 is a section along a diametrical plane of a motor wheel;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the motor wheel; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view, on an enlarged scale, of an orientable axle.

FIG. 1- shows the self-propelled crusher unit of the invention in plan view. A feed assembly for delivering material to crusher 12 and for removing the crushed material from the crusher has been indicated in FlG.-1 schematically in chain-dotted lines, the feed assembly including a hopper and delivery conveyor 10, and the recovery conveyor 13 removing the crushed material from the crusher to conveyor 14 which may be raised and oriented on the chassis. The chassis is constituted by two longitudinally extending beams or girders 16 braced by several crossbeams. The delivery and recovery conveyors are aligned along a common axis which is the longitudinal axis of the unit.

One of the crossbeams 18 of the chassis has lateral extensions projecting beyond the pair of chassis beams 16, 16, the ends of the lateral crossbeam extensions resting on two axles 20 and 22 which carry wheels 11 with pneumatic tires. Another crossbeam 24 also has lateral extensions projecting beyond the beams 16, 16, the ends of these crossbeam extensions resting on two axles 20' and 22' which also carry wheels 11 with pneumatic tires. While crossbeam 18 is affixed to chassis beams 16, 16 and thus directly supports the chassis, horizontal axle 26, which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the unit, extends from crossbeam 24 to support the chassis on this crossbeam, a pair of chassis crossbeams 19, 19 being supported on horizontal axle 26. In this way, horizontal axle 26 permits crossbeam 24 to oscillate in a vertical transverse plane in respect of the chassis and thus to provide proper distribution of the load over the four axles 20, 20, 22 and 22' even when the terrain on which the crusher unit operates is uneven: with this arrangement, the mobile unit will always ESZSLQUZ E QB h seL ntaa l lsl assembly- Crossbeams 18 and 24 rest on axles 20' and 20', respectively, by means of horizontal axles 28 which extend perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the unit and which permit axles 20, 20' to oscillate in a vertical plane parallel to the longitudinal axis. The axles 20,20 are fixed in respect to the longitudinal axis and have axes disposed in a common vertical plane substantially parallel thereto. When horizontally positioned and located at the same level, these two axles are aligned.

Crossbeams l8 and 24 also rest on axles 22 and 22', respectively, forks 30 being mounted on the crossbeams for pivotal movement about a vertical axis, i.e., so that the forks may be rotated about this axis, and horizontal axles 32 mounting axles 22, 22 on the ends of the forks to permit the axles 22, 22' to oscillate in vertical planes. These axles are orientable in respect to the longitudinal axis of the unit by rotation of forks 30.

As shown in FIG. 1, axles 22, 22 may be moved becontaining the axes of the fixed axles 20, 20' and a second position B (shown in broken lines) wherein the axes of the orientable axles 22, 22 bear upon, or intersect at, vertical axis contained in common vertical plane and disposed substantially midpoint between the fixed axles.

As best shown in FIG. 6, the means for moving the orientable axles between the first and second positions and maintaining them in a selected one of these positions comprise double-acting hydraulic jack 34, one of the jack parts, for instance the cylinder, being pivoted to the crossbeam while the other jack part,-for instance the piston rod, is pivoted to the end of arm 36 affixed to the end of the fork, actuation of the jack rotating the fork.

Abutments 38 are affixed to the crossbeams for limiting the pivotal movement of arm 36 and thus to limit the rotation of axles 22, 22' about the'axis of the associated forks.

The axes of the axles are coaxial only when all the axles are horizontally positioned and are on the same level. When they are not, they merely constitute intersecting lines between a horizontal plane and vertical planes containing the coaxial axes.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, axles and 20 each carries a driven wheel which is entrained by a hydraulic motor of slow speed which is mounted directly on the wheel. Rotative part 40 of the hydraulic motor is affixed to the end of wheel hub 42 while the non-rotative motor part is mounted on bracket 44 which is supported on the hub by means of anti-friction bearing 46 and is connected to the chassis of the unit by back pressure rod 48. Universal joints connect the ends of rod 48 respectively to bracket 44 and to the chassis. A hydraulic brake system 50 is also provided on the driven wheel.

The above-described crusher lows:

When the unit is in operation for crushing material, it rests on retractable feet which may be retracted out of their operative into a rest position by jacks to permit the unit to be displaced on wheels 11. The hydraulic motors provided on the drive wheels for displacing the unit are supplied with hydraulic fluid from a central hydraulic fluid supply mounted on the chassis of the unit, and the hydraulic circuit includes a pump operated by a Diesel or electric motor. All of these features being well known, they have not been illustrated so as not to encumber a clear showing of the inventive features.

When the feet are retracted and all four axles 20,20, 22, 22' are parallel to each other, i.e., when axles 22, 22' are in position A, the unit is displaced rectilinearly in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the unit. Depending on the direction in which driven wheels 11 on axles 20 and 20 are rotated, the unit is displaced forward or backward.

The unit may be turned about the vertical axis passing through point 0 when axles 22, 22 are rotated into position B. For this purpose, hydraulic jack 34 is operated to turn axles 22, 22' to orient them into position B, whereupon the driven wheels are operated to turn the unit.

By combining the two movements, the unit may be displaced into any desired position and/or turned in place to put it into the best working position for crushmg.

unit operates as fol- Since the orientable axles 22, 22 are never maintained in an intermediate position between positions A and B, no servo-mechanism is required orienting the axles. It is sufficient to supply hydraulic fluid to one or the other chamber of jack 34 to move the axles between abutments 38 where they are held in selected position A or B.

If desired, all the wheels may be provided with motors, i.e., may be driven. Also, it would be possible to dispose axles 20, 20' perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the unit, in which case axles 22, 22' would be similarly positioned so that they would be perpendicular to the longitudinal axis in their position A.

It will be noted that all the axles are of the same type and carry identical pneumatic wheels, thus making them interchangeable and reducing the cost of building and maintaining the unit.

Obviously, the hydraulic jacks for moving axles 22, 22 may be replaced by any suitable drive means, for instance a drive operated by an electric motor.

What we claim is:

1. In a self-propelled crusher unit comprising a chassis, wheels with pneumatic tires supporting the chassis, a crusher carried by the chassis, a feed assembly for delivering material to the crusher and a recovery conveyor for removing the crushed material from the crusher, the feed assembly and recovery conveyor defining a longitudinal axis of the unit:

1. four axles supporting the chassis,

a. two of the axles having axes disposed in a common vertical plane and being fixed in respect of the longitudinal axis, and

b. two of the axles being orientable about vertical axes in respect of the longitudinal axis,

2. abutments arranged on the chassis for limiting th rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles, and

3. means for moving the orientable axles between the first and second positions, and for maintaining the orientable axles in a selected one of said positions.

2. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, intermediate horizontal axles disposed between the four first-named axles and the chassis, the chassis resting on the intennediate axles and the intermediate axles being perpendicular to the first-named axles and permitting the same to oscillate in vertical planes.

3. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, a beam, two of the axles being carried by the beam, and a horizontal axle perpendicular to the beam pivotally supporting the chassis on the beam.

4. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, the fixed axles being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the unit.

5. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, a lowspeed hydraulic motor mounted directly on the hub of at least one of the wheels on each of the fixed axles for rotation of the wheels, the hydraulic motor having a rotative part affixed to the wheel hub and a non-rotative part, a back pressure rod connecting the non-rotative motor part to the chassis.

6. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 5, a support member for the rotative motor part and an antifriction means mounting the support member on the wheel hub. 

1. In a self-propelled crusher unit comprising a chassis, wheels with pneumatic tires supporting the chassis, a crusher carried by the chassis, a feed assembly for delivering material to the crusher and a recovery conveyor for removing the crushed material from the crusher, the feed assembly and recovery conveyor defining a longitudinal axis of the unit:
 1. four axles supporting the chassis, a. two of the axles having axes disposed in a common vertical plane and being fixed in respect of the longitudinal axis, and b. two of the axles being orientable about vertical axes in respect of the longitudinal axis,
 2. abutments arranged on the chassis for limiting the rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles, and
 3. means for moving the orientable axles between the first and second positions, and for maintaining the orientable axles in a selected one of said positions.
 2. abutments arranged on the chassis for limiting the rotation of the orientable axles between a first position wherein these axles are parallel to the common vertical plane containing the axes of the fixed axles and a second position wherein the axes of the orientable axles bear upon a vertical axis contained in the common vertical plane and disposed substantially equidistantly between the fixed axles, and
 2. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, intermediate horizontal axles disposed between the four first-named axles and the chassis, the chassis resting on the intermediate axles and the intermediate axles being perpendicular to the first-named axles and permitting the same to oscillate in vertical planes.
 3. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, a beam, two of the axles being carried by the beam, and a horizontal axle perpendicular to the beam pivotally supporting the chassis on the beam.
 3. means for moving the orientable axles between the first and second positions, and for maintaining the orientable axles in a selected one of said positions.
 4. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, the fixed axles being parallel to the longitudinal axis of the unit.
 5. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 1, a low-speed hydraulic motor mounted directly on the hub of at least one of the wheels on each of the fixed axles for rotation of the wheels, the hydraulic motor having a rotative part affixed to the wheel hub and a non-rotative part, a back pressure rod connecting the non-rotative motor part to the chassis.
 6. In the self-propelled crusher unit of claim 5, a support member for the rotative motor part and an anti-friction means mounting the support member on the wheel hub. 